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June 10th, 2024 Sequim Picklers' Update
- Jun 11, 2024
- 9 min read
Annual Membership Meeting and Party
Ciao! The Annual Meeting of the Sequim Picklers is set for June 15th and our Festa will envelop you in the warmth of Italian hospitality with a potluck and soda bar, and challenging games designed by our very own Warren Mecca. This event is open to significant others and children.
Date: Saturday, 15th of June
Time: 1-4 pm
Venue: Sequim Prairie Grange, located at 290 Macleay Rd, Sequim, WA 98382
Come dressed in your best Italian-inspired attire (think bold colors, stripes, or even show up as your favorite Italian icon).
It's a potluck! What to bring? Italian food! Bring a small entrée, appetizer, snacks, or dessert. Please include an index card with the ingredients in your dish for those who have sensitive food allergies. We’re providing breadsticks and a non-alcoholic Italian soda bar drink made to order. If that doesn't sound good, adults can BYOB.
What else is happening? Our Club President, Daryl Ness, will give a brief recap of the past year and updates on things to come. You will have a chance to thank the outgoing Sequim Picklers’ Board and be introduced to the candidates running for election in June. You will also have an opportunity to talk about the programming we have, what’s working/what’s not and we’ll also provide some information about the ‘pay to play’ pickleball venue model happening regionally and around the country. The agenda of events can be read here.
How to enter the fun? Arrive in style with your potluck dish on the 15th, be sure to wear your membership badge, and sign in at the door.
For those of you who signed up, the FIRST OF ITS KIND Boccee Pickleball Tournament will begin at noon.
Board of Directors Election
We currently have four positions that will be up for election this year: Vice President, Membership Chair, Director of Court Operations, and Secretary. You should have received an email introducing the candidates and their biographies. These same candidates will be introduced at our Annual Meeting on June 15th.
First thing on Sunday, June 16, the day after the Annual Membership Meeting & Party, a new 2024/2025 password for the Members-only site on the Club's website will be sent to all active members (those in good standing with dues paid). This email will also include a new combination to the Equipment Shed. Then, just before noon, you will receive another email with directions for voting and the link to the online ballot (which is password-protected). The link to the ballot will be live on Sunday at noon and members will need the new password to access it. Please write this password down and save it, but do not share it.
Voting will remain open through Monday, June 17 and Tuesday, June 18, and will close at noon on Wednesday, June 19.; if someone tries to vote after noon, they won’t be able to. On Thursday, June 20, an email campaign will go out announcing the winners.
Thank you to everyone who has been involved in this process to ensure that we have a new Board of Directors who will dedicate their time and energies to a fabulous Club such as ours: the candidates who have thrown their hats into the ring, the Nominating Committee, and the current Board of Directors.
Members! Please take a few minutes to review your Contact Information and keep us all up-to-date. If you have a new email, phone number, or address, contact our Membership Chair, Libby Hartman so that our records are correct.
The Sequim Fling is just around the corner (June 27-30) and if you haven't already registered, visit PIG (Pickleball is Great!). This year we have a new format, with Thursday and Friday dedicated to Senior Play. We currently have 199 players registered which will definitely give everyone plenty of play. See the website at PIG (or our Events calendar) for scheduling and more details.
And like any big tournament event, we rely on the volunteers who graciously give their time to help make things run smoothly. Please contact Katinka Nanna if you are available. The jobs and times are described here. Additionally, we could use volunteers to referee. Please let Lynda Schroeder know if you would like to referee and also if you are new and want to learn, we can have some classes with on-court training. You can contact Lynda by email.
Courtside News
Hi Everyone,
We’ve got a couple of tournaments coming down the pike. And there's still time to register!
Big Dill Fun Day is scheduled for July 27th
If you are a player in the 2.0 – 2.9 skill range this tournament is for you! Experience club/ tournament play with a fun, low-key vibe. You’ll play a round-robin format with multiple partners before branching off to the next round. We encourage players to come give it a try! This is a great introduction to tournament play.
1) No partner is needed
2) It's FREE!
We do need referees and volunteers.
Sequim Fling, June 27th-30th
Visit PickleballBrackets.com to register.
Thursday Night MiLP Draft and Go – July 11th
Arrive by 5:00. Start time 5:15.
We will be drafting the next set of MiLP teams on July 2nd
Teams are formed for a single night only – no long-term commitment is necessary. After the draft, we will send out a notice of drafted players and alternates. This notice will be posted on Sequim Pickler’s Facebook. A few days prior to the July 11th Draft and Go you will receive an email with your assigned team and captain.
Come join us for a night of team pickleball and hot dogs!
Register by July 1st (registration will be on the website pop-up by Wednesday, June 12th)
2.5 Ladder Play
We are looking for a few more players for the 2.5 Ladder Play. If you are in the beginning classes and are ready to branch out, give it a try. It's all very casual – no partner is needed and there are no eliminations. This is a great way to meet new people. Come on down any Monday night at 5:15.
The Lavender Festival is July 19th-21st
Expect parking in the area of Carrie Blake Park to be crowded. In the past, I’ve parked at QFC and walked to the courts
The Sequim Trinity United Methodist Church is looking for volunteers to help with parking on July 19th and 20th, from 8:30–11:30 am. They have been good neighbors to us and this would be a great opportunity to show some goodwill. They will buy lunch for those who volunteer.
Contact letritia@yahoo.com for more information.
Lastly, I would like to shout out a very special thanks to Rodney, Larry, Marsha, Tiffany, and Dawnya for helping hose off the courts a few weeks ago! You all rock!
'Looking forward to seeing everyone at the membership meeting this Saturday!
Lettie
Members-only Links
PCOC Minutes, 6/04/2024
The Member's Only page password is SweetOrDill23 (please note this will change on June 16th).
Mark Your Calendars!
The Big Dill is a Big Deal!
If you’re a player in the 2.0-2.9 range who would like to experience what it’s like to play in a Pickleball tournament – WITHOUT THE STRESS – then our Big Dill Fun Day Event on Saturday, July 27th is for you!
Big Dill Fun Day simulates tournament play, but with a fun, low-key vibe to help you:
1. Enjoy the fun of playing pickleball with people at your same play level.
2. Learn and experience the structure and organization of tournament play to give you a sense of what it’s like if/when you decide to enter one.
3. No need to find a partner to register and play, we’ll set you up! If you’d like to play in this event, sign up here. Slots are limited and going fast!
Big Dill Fun Day Event
Date: Saturday, July 27th
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (players arrive by 8;30 for check-in and warm-up)
Level of Play: 2.0-2.9
Prizes: Yes!
Food: For the players – snacks and pizza (bring what you need for any diet restrictions)
Cost: Zero, Zip, Nada – FREEEE!
Format: Each person will be assigned to a court with like-level players. You’ll play a round-robin format you’ll get plenty of games with different partners. Winners will advance. Each court will have a referee who will call the game, the scores, and watch for in/out balls and kitchen violations.
If your interest is now piqued and you want to play, register here.
Other ways to participate:
*Referees: We need referees! Volunteer referees must be 3.5 level or higher. Email Katinka if you’re interested.
*Volunteers: We need volunteers to help with the check-in table, be a runner of scores, help enter scores, and do other miscellaneous tasks necessary for a smooth-running event. If you’re interested in volunteering to help at the event, sign up here!
Sequim Picklers Virtual Bulletin Board
Have you been checking out the news on our Virtual Bulletin Board? There are deals on paddles (and more) posted. And you, too, can post anything pickleball-related that members may be interested in.
The rules are simple: No trash talk. No politics. Topics need to be pickleball-related and beneficial to our membership. Posts must include your contact information. If you post an item for sale and sell it, or are looking for something in particular and find it, please come back and remove your post. This is a MEMBERS ONLY forum….please do not share the link.
***Admin reserves the right to delete posts that do not conform to these rules.***
How to Post
Simply double tap anywhere or select the plus (+) button. A simple text post will appear. To attach a file or link, click any of the icons below the text. Padlet supports every file type you can imagine, from an Excel spreadsheet, to a Spotify playlist, to a YouTube Video, to any link from any site.
Questions? Send an email to Tanya Baumgardner
What's in the News?
Pickleball Stacking
Pickleball stacking is a tactical positioning strategy where teammates align on the same side of the court to leverage their strengths and mitigate weaknesses. The key objective is to gain more control over the game’s flow by optimizing court coverage and offensive/defensive capabilities.
Effective communication and pre-match planning with your partner are crucial for successful stacking implementation. While it may feel awkward initially, mastering this strategy can significantly enhance your doubles game by capitalizing on individual strengths and mitigating weaknesses.
How It Works:
1. On the Serve:
The server starts on the right (even) side of the court, and the partner stands directly to their right, not obstructing the serve path while adhering to the rules.
After scoring a point, the server moves to the left (odd) side. Instead of crossing over, the partner positions themselves to the left of the server.
This initial setup allows both players to easily slide towards the right court after the serve, returning to their preferred positions and readying themselves for the next play.
2. Returning the Serve:
One player positions themselves near the baseline, while the partner waits out of bounds beyond the right sideline, near the non-volley zone (NVZ) line.
After the receiver returns the serve, both players slide to the left side of the court, allowing the partner immediate access to the NVZ line, potentially gaining a strategic advantage.
Conversely, if the partner receives the serve from the left court, the other player stands out of bounds on the left side of the NVZ line. Upon the return, they shift toward the right side, maintaining advantageous court coverage.
This dynamic movement streamlines positioning and ensures optimal court coverage post-return.
Rules:
Each serve and return of serve must be executed by the designated player according to the standard rules.
The server must ensure no part of their feet touches or crosses the baseline at the moment of serving to maintain a fair serving distance.
After the initial serve and return exchanges, players are granted the freedom to move to any position on the court, enabling strategic stacking.
Advantages:
Maximizes players’ strengths by arranging positions to keep a strong forehand in the center court, opening numerous poaching opportunities and offensive angles.
Balances hand dominance by positioning both players’ forehands in the middle, creating a formidable barrier that’s difficult for opponents to exploit.
Hides weaknesses like a weaker backhand by shielding it from direct exposure to opponents, reducing vulnerability.
Allows for dynamic adjustments based on the flow of play and opponents’ strategies, gaining tactical control.
Submitted by Club Member and Publicist, Susie Lewis
Research done via Selkirk Blogsthe ball landed.
IF YOU'RE THE LAST PICKLER TO LEAVE THE COURTS, please put away all balls and toss abandoned items (water bottles, sweatshirts, paddles, sunglasses) into the Lost & Found box in the shed. Lock up the shed and be sure to spin the combination so that it cannot be pulled open.
NO DOGS ON THE PICKLEBALL COURTS by order of the City of Sequim. Dogs are also prohibited from hanging out in the center alley between the courts. (Apologies to our canine friends...)
WEAR YOUR BADGE. Let the world know who you are — a proud Pickler. Carry your badge in your pickleball bag to snap on when you hit the courts.
WHITELISTING. Add "sequimpicklers@gmail.com" to your Contacts list and avoid having to search your Spam, Junk, and Trash mailboxes for the latest Sequim Picklers Update and other Club communications.
The Sequim Pickler Update comes out each month on the 16th. If you would like to contribute an article, picture, or link, please send your submission to Tanya Baumgardner no later than the 11th of the month.